Automobile sled.



V. GROVER.

AUTOMOBILE SLED.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 25. 1910.

Eig/anw@ @lfm/buzones TintiTn VERNON Gnovnn, or MINA, SOUTH DAKOTA.

AUTOMOBILE SLED.

anarco.

Specification of Letters Patent.

4Patented July 25, 191 l.

Application led August 25, 1910. Serial No. 578,924.

To all 4whom 'it may concern: y

Be it known that I, VERNON Gnovnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Mina, in the county of Edmunds and State of South Dakota., have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile Sleds, of ,which the following' is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile sleds, the object of the invention being to provide apparatus of this character embodying novel propelling mechanism which maybe convenient-ly and edectively thrown into or out of gear at the will of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved brake mechanism which will be moved to .its set position when the propelling mechanism is thrown out of gear to bring the sled to an almost immediate standstill. l l l In the drawing, forming a 'portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the sevi eral' views z-Figure l is a detail longitudinal section. through my improved sled. v `Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with parts removed to clearly illustrate' the invention. Fig'. 3 is a detail sectionvthrough one of the runners,

My improved sled comprises spaced'ruu' ners l whose 4lower running edges are formed to provide diametrieally oppositely curved running' surfaces 2. At the upper end, each runner has secured thereto an angle iron member 3. A drive shaft 4 is supported in boxes 5 which are secured to the angle iron members 3 adjacent, to .the rear end of the sled. Forwardly of the drive shaft 'is a driven shaft 6 which is mounted in boxes 'l' onthe said angle iron members Movable vbearing boxes S are located approximately beneath the shaft 6 and as illustrated, they are slidable in guide members 9 on the runners. The boxes 8 are connected with each other by a shaft l0. Bearwardly of the boxes 8 and located substantially beneath the shaft are boxes 1l which are slida-ble in guides 12 on theI runners. The boxes 1l are connected with each other by a shaft 13.

A pair Cif-sprocket wheels is provided for each of the shafts hereinabove named, and as illustrated, propelling chains are oper,g atively associated with the sprocket. wheels to be driven thereby when power is applied to the drive shaft a. Power may be applied to -the-drive shaft by means of anywell known' form of motor (not shown). The propelling chains are provided. with .ealks ll for engagement with the surface ot' the ice to insure a positive propulsion ofthe sledon operation ofthe drive shaft.

A rock shaft l5 is supported by the runners of the sled, and as illustrated, it is connected with the bones 8 by links 1G and with the boxes ll by similar links 17. rlhe shaft l5 is provided with a crank arm 18 which is connected with one end of a rod 19, the opposite end ofthe rod being connected with the controlling lever 20. The lever 20 is preferably pivotally mounted on the rack `segment 2l and it is desirable to employ a locking pawl such as the one shown at 22 for engaging the teeth of the rack lsegment to holdv the controlling lever in the desired adjusted position.

A brake member 23 is pivotally supported by the sled and it is connected by the link Q4 with the controlling' lever 15 so that it -may be moved to its set and unset positions as the occasion may demand. In operation of lthe sled described and illustrated herein,

power is transn'iitted to the shaft 4 so as to revolve the propelling chains. The shafts l0 and 13 are located. in a horizontal plane with ea'ch other so that portions ofthe propelling chains assume horizontal positions .to cause their spurs to contact respectively with the' running surface. The controlling' lever 2O can be operated to move the shafts l0 and 13 m unison so as to cause the up- Awardly extending runs of the chain to be moved slightly in a forward direction; but

su'llicient to cause the lower run lto be elevated above the surface of the ice. Simuli ta'neously with this operation the brake element is thrown into Contact with the surface to bring the sled to an almost immediate standstill. The shafts 1l, (3, lO, 13 and l5 are preferal'ily formed in sections and are connected with each other'by universal` `joints.

From this construction I provide for `oscillatory nmvements of the runners to allow them to accommodate themselves to uneven surfaces.

A sled including spaced parallel runners, upper parallel driving and driven shafts journaled in fixed bearings on the runners, slidably adjustable bearings mounted in the runners and disposed below the plane of the sliafts,'driven shafts mounted in the roo slidubly mounted bearings, alining sprocket ings to positions to cause the end run of the gear wheels fixed to the shafts, a propelling driving` chain to be moved forwardly and chain extending around the sprocket gear upwardly whereby the lower run of the 15 wheels and arranged thereon to present upchain will be disposed above the plane of the per und lower runs and front and rear runs, lowermost points of the runners.

. the lower run being operatively extended In testimony WhereofI alx my signature below the plane of the lowermost points of in presence ot two witnesses.

the runners for effective driving Contact w with the shrface on which the sled is sup- VERNGN (JROVLR' ported, and a Controlling mechanism oper- Witnesses:

@tively connected with the sliduble bearings R. E; GRovnR,

and adapted for operation to move the bear- O. G. ANDERSON. 

